By FRANCO PANIZO
MIAMI- When the U.S. national team started practice on Wednesday, there was a familiar face back in practice. The face was that of Frankie Hejduk.
Hejduk made his return to a U.S. national team camp after a five month hiatus due to various injuries. The last time Hejduk was in camp was prior to the U.S. team's qualifiers at El Salvador and vs. Trinidad and Tobago back in the spring.
"It's great [to be back]," said Hejduk."Now I'm here and I'm feeling good again and hopefully I can keep this level up, and contribute wherever I can to the team, whether it be on the field, off the bench, in the stands, wherever, just to help the guys out. I'm just elated to be back in camp."
While Hejduk is unlikely to start against Honduras, his return should help bring a much-needed morale boost to a U.S. team that has looked sluggish at times in qualifying. Through the Hexagonal, the U.S. team has surrendered the first goal on four different occasions, including in the 2-1 win against Honduras back on June 6 at Soldier Field.
"Honduras is a good team. We definitely felt that when we played at home in the first qualifier," said defender Oguchi Onyewu. "We are not going to take them for granted. We are trying to get as prepared as possible for Saturday so we can come out there and get three points."
A win in Honduras is all the Americans need to qualify for the World Cup, but a draw can also secure a berth to South Africa if Trinidad and Tobago manages to tie Costa Rica. However, the U.S. team is focused solely on beating los catrachos.
"We are just trying to focus on what we can do to win the game, and I think we're obviously a really good team, and we beat them at home in Chicago a couple months ago, so if we can put the same performance in then we'll be fine," said goalkeeper Tim Howard.
The U.S. has just one more day of training in South Florida before traveling to Honduras for Saturday's World Cup qualifier at the Estadio Olimpico in San Pedro Sula.
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Happy to see Hejduk back with the U.S. team? Think the U.S. can win, or are you hoping for a pair of draws on Saturday? Will the U.S. avoid giving up an early goal again?
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